製造商: Heuer 年份: Circa 1963 型號: 3647 錶殼號碼: 76’612 型號名稱: Carrera, “MG” 材料: Stainless steel 機芯: Manual, Valjoux 92, 17 jewels 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Leather 錶扣: Steel buckle 尺寸: 36mm Diameter 簽名: Case, dial, and movement signed
圖錄文章
Heuer has long been associated with precision timekeeping with the founder Edouard Heuer patenting a chronograph in 1882, and receiving another for an oscillating pinion (1887) still in use today. Heuer chronographs have been used for timed events from the Olympics to the Grand Prix of Monaco, and today they are sought by collectors for their iconic designs and technical innovations. The Carrera, introduced in 1963, was a tribute to the Carrera Pan Americana automobile road rally in Mexico from 1950 to 1954, and considered the most dangerous and deadly car race at the time. Unlike the Heuer reference 2447 three register chronograph, the Carrera reference 3647 featured a sleek modern dial with two subsidiary dials, including a 45 minute register in place of the usual 30 minutes register - more in line with timing a football match than a fuel-injected automobile competition. The two register model became known as the Carrera 45 with an upgraded Valjoux 92 caliber using Heuer’s patented oscillating pinion - a movement used by other top Swiss brands during the 1960s.
The present example is a rare representation of the Carrera featuring the MG marque at 6 o’clock. M. G. Car Company Limited was a British sports car maker founded by Cecil Kimber in the 1920s and best known for their sporty, two-seater coupés. In addition to the MG marque, the dial features the name Bernard Odsess, the American importer of MG based in New Jersey. The watch is in excellent overall condition with a well-preserved case with strong proportions and sharp case lines as it left the factory. The black dial with two contrasting registers has aged beautifully with the luminous hour markers and hands faded to a light brown hue.
Heuer chronographs are a reminder of the fine tool watches of the mid 20th-century, and today examples like this vintage Carrera are especially sought after. This black dial chronograph is all the more desirable with the MG marque and importer’s name. For car enthusiasts, it is a wonderful representation of the two worlds of horology and motorsports.
This iconic chronograph manufacturer has a long tradition of precision timekeeping. As early as 1882, founder Edouard Heuer held a patent for a chronograph watch; in 1887, he received a patent for an oscillating pinion, which is still in use today. These specialized timepieces have been at the heart of the firm's success, enabling the brand to be chosen as early timekeepers for the Olympics. In 1969, the company introduced their first automatic chronograph watch, the Monaco Heuer, which celebrated the Monaco Grand Prix. Other key chronograph models include the Autavia and the Carrera, all of which having become iconic models of the firm.